For so long, the international community has facilitated the breach of international law, collective punishment and the confiscation of land. The EU has stood aside and watched as all of that happened in Palestine and under Netanyahu. The idea that fundamental geopolitical stances can be taken in Europe without any participation or accountability points, I am afraid to say, to something very rotten at the core of the European Union. The actions of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, were contrary to the core principles of the European Union, namely, contributing to peace and security, the protection of human rights, and strict observance to international law. Their actions will have done untold damage to the European Union, to our credibility and the potential for the EU to play a role in achieving peace.

I agree with President Higgins's comments and welcome his intervention, if I am allowed to say that here in this House. He said the response of von der Leyen was thoughtless and even reckless. I welcome his intervention. I am reminded of the lyrics of the anti-war song by Peggy Seeger, "How I Long for Peace":

The world can wait no longer

For political permission

Sit down, disrupt, do anything

To make the whole world listen

[...]

O how I long for peace.

The actions of President Metsola and President von der Leyen remind us of why Ireland should always try to ensure that unanimity is retained in Europe on foreign policy and security and defence policy and of the importance of the sovereignty that enables us to pursue our independent foreign policy.

I move that motion No. 127(7) not be taken today. That is the motion on Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. Senator Flynn is going to second my amendment to the Order of Business. I do not wish to do this to be contrarian. The House should discuss this issue and the motion. However, the time slot allocated is too short and we have not had enough time to consider the amended motion since receiving it last night. I see that a supplementary motion has been added which refers to the hospital attacks yesterday. The Taoiseach and the Tánaiste have been very strong in standing out from some other EU leaders in the past week in reaffirming our commitment to international human rights law and that while Israel has the right to defend itself, it does not have the right to break that law. I think we can reach a resolution in both Houses where we speak with one very strong voice on this issue.

While I am, in the main, supportive of the Government motion which I believe is much more balanced compared to what was being sent around in the last week and earlier on this week, I believe that there are amendments which could be made to it with, in particular, a reference to the hospital attack yesterday. That is why I am proposing that the motion not be taken today.